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Anxiety Emergency Room Visits?

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Posted 3/13/2014 2:45 PM (GMT 0)
How many times have you been to the ER for chest pains caused by anxiety and panic attacks? I've been so many times I lost count. Every time it's the same story. My heart is fine. The last time I went in 2010 they put me through every heart test you could imagine. After that OUTRAGEOUS hospital bill, I have concluded from now on when I have chest pains, I just look up to the sky and say, "Here I come Elizabeth! It's the big one!" just like Fred Sanford used to do on his TV show. And it actually helps! The only problem is, what happens when it is my heart and not anxiety?

Would like to see how others deal with anxiety-related chest pains.

GOOD LUCK AND GOOD DAY TO ALL!!

 

Posted 3/13/2014 2:53 PM (GMT 0)
I asked myself the same question a few months back. I had been to the ER at least 15 times in the span of 2 months. My doctor did every heart test there was and he put me on a 30 day event heart monitor. They say i am fine. I still feel like something is wrong with my heart. I found out I have sleep apnea and that was why I was waking up with a racing heartbeat every night. Prior to the diagnosis of sleep apnea they told me it was just anxiety waking me up. I was the one that insisted something else was going on and I requested the sleep apnea test. I still have pains in my chest every day, not nearly as bad. I think maybe because of all the tests that did come back fine I tell myself that its not my heart. I wonder too, what if one day it is my heart and I dismiss it because of being told so many times by the docs that it is just anxiety. I think we are in the same boat. The doctors like to pass off everything as anxiety so I am not confident in the docs anymore at this point. I just hope for the best and hope I still have many years to go before it really is my heart!
Posted 3/13/2014 4:09 PM (GMT 0)
I have been in both your shoes :( sadly for two months straight I was in the er because of my heart and I have tons of EKG blood test MRI ultrasound on my heart all normal.. And of course I ask my self what happens if I have a real heart attack and just dismiss it as anxiety :(
Posted 3/13/2014 4:47 PM (GMT 0)
Hi IPC and welcome to the A/P.:)

It is so confusing for those of us with anxiety and very real physical symptoms to know where the lines between symptoms and possible health concerns begin and end!!

Therefore, the best course of action is twofold I believe:

One, is to treat the anxiety issue to the best of your ability. Keeping your A/P levels as low as possible through therapy, and/or medication as well as learning self-help techniques is a definite goal. In this way, your symptoms are managed, and your ability to cope with your issues is as strong as possible. (and you are less likely to be bothered by any remaining anxiety symptoms)

Two, is to get regular health screening from your doctor. These days, an unexpected health problem is a lot less likely since we have good screening techniques!  Generally speaking, a cardio event for example, is not such a suprise anymore if you are getting regular check ups.

Therefore, you can be a little more discerning in what is an anxiety symptom or not, if you are assured of your good health with a recent check up.:)

We have a great community here, so I hope that you will stick around for the encouragement and support you will find!

Check out our Resources (main page, 1st post) and get to know your way around the forum. Thanks for introducing yourself, and talk to you soon.

Scaredy Cat
Posted 3/13/2014 4:49 PM (GMT 0)
hey everyone! i've been twice. once about a year ago, and then again just this last weekend.

i dont get chest pain so much as racing, pounding heart, and my main symptom is dizziness, shaking, feel like i will pass out. this last time also my vision got blurry, like looking at static on a tv. i thought for sure i was having a stroke. never had that before.

the first time I hadn't had much testing done yet. in the last year though, I've had a holter monitor 3 times, stress test, echo, ekg, everything, and they said there were some minor irregularities but no real problems.

i had kind of an epiphany this last time though. the best doctor i've ever had, he was very patient and thorough, took the time to check me out and answer ALL of my questions and going over ALL possibilities and contingencies before telling me he was very sure I was having a panic attack. because he was so kind, not condescending, and very thorough, i believed him. if they dismiss everything right away as panic, i am skeptical and I don't think that's good medical practice.

the worst part this last time was just as I entered the ER, another woman came in who said she was having a heart attack - she was moaning loudly saying she had stabbing pains in her back and her left arm. that made me panic even more.

once as a teenager i was with my father when he had a heart attack and i drove him to the ER. he was very calm, just saying that it hurt (and although he did have a heart attack, he is alive and well and more adventurous and active than me, 20 years later). i think about that sometimes.
Posted 3/13/2014 4:55 PM (GMT 0)
Hi HFBD and welcome to you as well!!

A lot of us with anxiety feel as if some doctors give us the 'blow-off' when discussing our health related fears...due to our anxiety.

Tests however do not lie, so I encourage you to try to put your trust in your doctor's and test results...as you continue to work on treating your apnea, GERD and anxiety.

If you feel that you are not being listened to, I would encourage you to keep interviewing doctor's until you find one that gives you the attention and care that you deserve! There are many wonderful and understanding docs who completely listen and take all that their patients say seriously and with consideration.:)

I encourage you to check out our Resources as well...and keep posting with us for encouragement, understanding and support!!

Talk to you soon.:)

Scaredy Cat
Posted 3/14/2014 3:45 AM (GMT 0)
Hi , I have been to about 10 ER in 3 different states in my surrounding area , I been rushed to the ER and I been a total of 60times or more , seriously ..... I been to cardiac doc and had , every heart test you can think of , and the biggest of them all I had a cardiac cath , that where they go in through your leg where your groin area is and up to your heart , where they can see your heart and see if any blockages , damage , anything and my heart was as clean as a whistle ... my cardiac doc says its nothing else he can do , I have had more test then anybody he knows , im 35 , don't smoke , don't drink , I don't eat meat , especially now I drink healthy green juice and beets and veggies , and before all this happen a year and a half ago I was 100% healthy , nothing was wrong with me , never hadto go to the doc for anything , now im at every type of doc you can dream of , and yet I have chest pain 24/7 , soreness , and always on alert what if .... and always worried about my chest , I can barely go out , and somenights I wonder what if its my heart , after going threw all this , did it really effect my heart , all this ... its a scary , scary , thing..... I feel ya pain ......
Posted 3/14/2014 1:58 PM (GMT 0)
It's sad to see others have to go through this same thing, but reassuring to see that I am not alone. I have just about "brainwashed" myself into ignoring my anxiety symptoms, but when the chest starts pounding and the sweats break out, it truly is hard to ignore. My "Fred Sanford" act cracks my wife up, but hey, it actually does help the panic and chest pains subside quicker. Not sure why, but it does. I guess it gets my mind off the attack and my body returns to normal quicker. Strange how the human mind works.

GOOD DAY AND BEST WISHES TO ALL!!

Posted 3/14/2014 2:12 PM (GMT 0)
I love your Fred Sanford act! That cracked me up. I need to come up with one of those for myself!
Posted 3/14/2014 2:17 PM (GMT 0)
Good Morning All,

I have been to the ER once by ambulance but it was a reaction to my Chemo drugs.

I do not use the Emergency Room for my anxiety especially if the clinic is open ( 0700 - 1900 daily as well as weekend hours)

Emergency Departments are for acute situations and once your chest pain has been ruled out for anything cardio you are always advised by the ER Dr. to "follow up with your own PCP".

What works for me is having a awesome Primary Care Physician as well as a Psychiatrist.  When I get caught in near panic mode or my anxiety has been going on for days and I cannot just accept it and move on, I call my Psychiatrist and we can usually handle everything by phone.

My Psychiatrist does not make hospital rounds so going to the ER will never get me a Psychiatrist or even my own Primary Dr.

Having a good relationship with your Primary Dr. and making regular appointments with this person will help you learn ways to manage your anxiety.

Choosing to use the ER is a personal choice but just think how much better you would feel if you could use your coping skills to avoid a mad dash to the ER ? :-)

If you truly believe you have an emergency than by all means present to the ER.

Remember, I am not a Dr.,  this info is just my own personal practice.

Kindly,

Kitt

 

30 year history of Anxiety/Depression

Posted 3/14/2014 3:26 PM (GMT 0)

littlewing75 said...
I love your Fred Sanford act! That cracked me up. I need to come up with one of those for myself!

Thank you! I've had anxiety and chest pains since 4th grade and I'm just now getting to where I see it's probably not life threatening. It's been an adventure to say the least.

Posted 3/14/2014 4:44 PM (GMT 0)

Thanks for your input stkitt, I kinda get the impression you think I was abusing the ER system. Maybe I should include more background. I was raised on a U.S. base overseas in the early 60's and we had terrifying air raid drills. When we moved back to the U.S. I had my first chest pains. As kids we never went to the Dr. unless we needed vaccines, stitches, or a cast, so I was never even checked. It got worse and I got to where I could barely even sit in class. After suffering a couple years my friend turned me on to alcohol and I found it covered up everything. No anxiety, no chest pains, no panic attacks. I could face crowds of people with no problems at all. But, my relief was short lived. I was full blown alcoholic before I got out of high school. I couldn't do anything without booze. I finally went to the Dr. in 1981 and was diagnosed with a laundry list of anxiety and mental issues. They put me anti-depressants and hours and hours of Psych counseling, but I went right back to drinking. The following year I almost lost my left arm in an accident. That is when I got the blood transfusion. Time went on, more drinks, and I avoided the Dr. as much as I could. In 2005 I started having severe blackouts, so I quit drinking hard liquor and only drank beer. That was no help, so I finally tossed all alcohol in 2008. I went to the Dr. and boy they had a field day testing me. They found I had the Hep C, PTSD, anxiety, panic attacks, GERD, shatski ring/hiatal hernia in esophagus, and neuropathy possibly from the extreme alcohol abuse. They put me on several prescriptions and I tried them for a couple years and they actually made me feel much worse. That is when most of the ER visits started. I had no idea what was going on, the pills were supposed to help and didn't. So please don't think I was abusing the ER system. Happily, I have not been back to the ER since they ran all the heart test and I saw my heart was fine. Best wishes to all! 

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